UK printer donates £13,000 to local charities in time for Christmas

This includes:

• £3000 to SNAP (Special Needs And Parents), a charity that helps Essex families with children and young people who have any special need or disability by providing a variety of services such as activities for children of all ages, support and advice. The SNAP centre is a short walk away from Baker Labels’ factory in Brentwood and has become a favourite charity among Baker Labels staff. Rob Dennis of SNAP said: ‘To receive a £3000 donation of unrestricted funding at this time of year is such an incredible boost to all of us working at SNAP and for the families we support. I can’t thank Steve and Mandy Baker enough for their generosity.’;

• £3000 to Kids Inspire, which helps disadvantaged young people turn their lives around and gives them back their future. They support young people across Essex who are at an educational, social and/or economic disadvantage resulting from trauma or emerging mental health issues. As a volunteer mentor for Kids Inspire, Mandy Baker has been a keen supporter of the Essex charity for a number of years. Paula Ashfield from Kids Inspire said: ‘Thank you to Bakers for this generous donation and its continued support, which allows us to help the most vulnerable children in our community, especially during the festive season.’;

• £2000 worth of groceries to Brentwood Foodbank, which was established in 2011 as a partnership between Breakthru Church and Dodd Road Community Church. Brentwood Foodbank works with a number of frontline care agencies to provide food parcels to the most vulnerable members of our community. On December 13 more than 20 members of staff from across all departments within Baker Labels were involved in delivering £2,000 worth of groceries including food, toiletries and Christmas goodies to the Brentwood Foodbank. Steve Baker was hands on in buying the goods when he stacked trolleys at local wholesaler Bookers. Then in a convoy of cars from the Baker Labels’ factory on Hubert Road in Brentwood, four car loads of goods were donated to Bonnie Jerry and her team of volunteers at Brentwood Foodbank. ‘There are so many families that need the extra help at this time of year and thanks to Baker Labels donation we’re able to ensure that we can give even more people the food and essentials they need,’ commented Jerry. ‘Baker Labels has delivered at the perfect time too as many mums won’t come to the foodbank once the schools break up because they don’t want their children to know that they’ve had to use a foodbank. We’ve recognized that and try and give them extra the week before and the week the schools go back. Baker Labels’ donation is greatly appreciated.’; and

• £5000 to Georgia’s Teenage Cancer Appeal, a charity set up in 2009 to support families in Essex who have a child, teenager or young adult with cancer or other life threatening or life limiting conditions. As the charity prepares to close after 10 years in January 2019, Georgia’s Teenage Cancer Appeal is funding essential projects within charitable organizations that focus on support to teenagers and young people battling cancer. Steve and Mandy Baker have supported the Brentwood-based charity for several years, recognizing the incredible support they have been able to offer Essex families facing emotionally and financially challenging circumstances. The £5,000 donation to the charity will be the final contribution to Georgia’s Teenage Cancer Appeal as the charity closes its doors in January. Kirsty Dailly, chair of Georgia’s Teenage Cancer Appeal, explained: ‘After 10 years and raising almost £650,000 in Georgia’s memory to support Essex families, it was time to give Georgia back to her family and wind up the charity. In January we will be distributing all remaining funds to pay for several projects within various Essex charitable organizations. All these projects have a focus on improving the lives of young people battling cancer. ‘The £5,000 donation from Baker Labels will allow us to completely fund one of several project applications we have received. Thank you Bakers for your continued generous support to Georgia’s Teenage Cancer Appeal for the last 10 years.’

As a family business, Steve and Mandy Baker have always looked to support local charities and encouraged their staff to do the same. In 2018, Baker Labels has held bake sales, wearing pink days, jeans for genes days and sponsored events, such as obstacle courses and running races.

With the addition of various contributions and staff fundraising events throughout the year, the total donated to charity by Baker Labels in 2018 has reached £15,000.

The printer has also recently donated to the animal environmental enrichment program at Colchester Zoo.